Retire? The Voice Will Tell

As befits a man whose oversized talent and matching girth have made him a familiar figure beyond the world of opera, legendary lyric tenor Luciano Pavarotti does most things in dramatic fashion. Other singers can take ill and beg off scheduled appearances without provoking much notice, let alone anger. Indeed, Pavarotti's publicist insists that he cancels no more often than other performers. Perhaps. But when Pavarotti does cancel, as he did in May at what was expected to be his farewell full stage performance at New York City's Metropolitan Opera, the event becomes front-page news. "Fat Man Won't Sing," blared one...